I hope that you all are doing well in school, and that you are being the Leaders that I have talked about several times in our meetings. I have seen and spoken with many of you in the last 2 months and even sent a letter to one of my Raisingurls to encourage her.

I have been reading a lot of teen suicides, and so I wanted to write to you about that. I understand that being a teen is hard, with the pressures in school to complete projects, the pressure at home with your family. Pressure from your female friends, as well as pressure from boys. But understand you have to find a balance in your life. Dont allow anyone to put pressure on you. Know yourself, and know what you like. Know what you will put up with and know what you wont put up with. People sometimes don’t realize how much stress and pressure they can put on you. But at some point you have got to step back and say to them……….hold up…..wait a minute.

Pressure is something that will never go away, no matter how old you are, but YOU can control it. Here are a few examples that are TRUE in my life. I hear these types of pressures everyday from people, and I will show you a way to SHUT IT DOWN ON THE SPOT! I work for Walmart. People are always asking me to “hook them up” or give them a discount” or try to get out of paying the real price. Here is how the conversation will start:

Me: (smiling but looking serious and giving them direct eye contact) Why would I give you a discount, so that I could lose my job on the spot, and you would go to YOURS in the morning? Does that make sense to you boo?

Customer: Laughs…… and say…… they won’t know!

Me: They may not know, but I KNOW!

You have to talk to people in a way that it wont offend them, but also speak in a way in which they know you MEAN BUSINESS.

Boys can put pressure on gurls as well. Here is an example

Boy: Hey, what are you doing later?

You: Nothing, going home to watch my little sister while my parents are at work.

Boy: Well, can I come over to play WII with you?

You: My momma don’t play that?

Boy: Well, how would she know?

You: She doesn’t have to know, because I’m telling you NO, and besides I don’t want any trouble with my parents, because they don’t play!

Boy: alright, talk to you later.

Raisingurls you have to really “Boss Up” and stand your ground and not allow anyone to put pressure on you. Know whats right and what’s wrong in your life, and follow that voice inside of you…..that’s God.

Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, ‘so you will live well and have a long life’” (Ephesians 6:1-3 NIV).